” What are you doing ?”

Somebody, supposed to be a Zen Buddhist teased me

“If you are Zennist, how come, what are you doing in your blog ?”

I answered to him “If you only see it so, your Buddhism is wrong”

[]

The reason why the Buddhism after the Nirvana of

Lord Buddha was formed as known as Hinayana was because the followers just copied the lifestyle

of Lord Buddha (as an Bhikkuh) and kept his teachings.  And it took 500 years for the followers to

realize what the real meaning of his teachings were.

—– It is obvious, if all the people in the country become keen Buddhists / Bikkuh,

Who else can feed those Bhikkuh. Who grows the rice to make foods or fish in the river.

(You may give a thought, in a scope of a sustainability of the society = the socio-economical size

= how may Bhikkuh can the society sustain ? —– number is very limited.)

Lord Buddha was not such idiot.   Buddhism is not forsake the LIFE, but to live with it.

[]

Zen is a psychological technique / Mind-set to DO the THINGS = to have the

LIFE in the best efficiency without having useless hindrances.

Me to do a photography —– after all I used to be a photographer / technical-writer

= What’s wrong, a man keep doing what he was (a sort of) good at.   😀 😀

DOING all those, I need the Zen (such as so-called Mindfulness, Mushin etc etc, hence I keep

my tools in the best condition, let alone to make them etc etc) and I have, at least, having the

results which leaves no (well more or less) regrets.  😀  — (still, I want to do even better

= this is not a greed as my work is not producing any profit or fame.   😀 😀 )

[]

My approach to the camera or photography which is in most of the case, non-conventional,

quite inventive way would solve and help other’s trouble well,  (without costing them  :-D)

—– such as, when the camera or Mob-devise was dropped in the sea water or toilet = just

wash under tap water then dry it with Hair-dryer,  or jammed, stacked Zoom lens may be

saved with just hitting it in all directions.  Or utilizing Chinese toys would save a time and cost,

instead of building a new circuit for electronic controller etc etc.  😀

Life is to live, hence it got be fun, as you can’t avoid — any how.

Make it fun, instead of resenting or complaining.

And by making something would be even more fun.   🙂

___/\___

[]

Ultra Low-Angle Photo (2)

This is yet another shots of moss with Ultra Low-Angle Adapter.

The subject I encountered was Marchantia polimorpha (better known as Umbrella river-wort)

and its Reproductive structure = Gametophores (but the photos here is its female part).

This photo was taken by Micro Nikkor 55mm f3.5 (reverse mounted) with Low-Angle Adapter.

(magnification = x1)

This is not a Palm tree but the same Gametophores which was seen through

Low-Angle Adapter with 24mm f2 lens. (magnification = x2.6)

This 24mm lens is the first one Nikon ever put a Close Range Compensation (shifting a lens

element to correct the aberration) in the 70th, hence the image is very sharp even in close up.

And the photos of this moss from more ordinary angle with 55mm lens (reversed)

(magnification = x1)  Dead plant, right photo is showing the male Gametophores.

Straight shot of an Umbrella.  Left photo by 24mm f2 (at f2) (x2.6) and right photo is by 55mm Macro

though, this is a cropped image to the same size of 24mm picture for comparison.

—– to chose its out of focus Bokeh created by large f2 aperture of 24mm lens or sharper image

of Macro lens, would be a matter of taste and its purpose.

[]

Ultra Low Angle Photo Adapter

This is a photograph of the moss, taken in an ultra-low angle view.

A while ago, one of the most unique photographer in the Net-sphere who is producing the

photos with her exceptionally unique eye-point,

Karen the [Draw and Shoot] showed the photos of tiny Lichen, which were taken extremely

low angle.   Hence I put a comment “To take picture in such low angle must be very hard”

—– and she replied that she was almost standing on her head !

So, I promised her I’ll show an adapter to do such low angle shot. (Thence, it took a while

to find the adapter from tens of the boxes of camera-related junk, odd lenses to electronic

controllers, etc   :-))

—– It was an adapter to take a picture side-way = a prism was mounted on a

lens rear-cap to reflect the light in 90 degree, hence able to take side-view close-up 

while looking down the view finder. ( photo above / center)

Though, as the prism I used was rather small and viewing angle was very narrow,

this adapter is limited to be used only for more than x2 magnification while the lens

was reverse-mounted.

So that, I made another one which can be attached on front of the lens, which is using

a mirror instead of a prism. ( photo above / left)

The quality of the mirror is directly affect the image quality hence, ordinary mirror

couldn’t be used.  (Ordinary mirror has double reflections, one on the surface of the glass

and the other on the metal coating)  so that, I used a surface mirror from a SLR camera.

(= it is a genuine optical quality mirror still we can get, out of a broken old camera, free  !)

The mirror was fixed and glued in 45 degree to a frame of Polarizing Filter, therefore

the mirror can be rotated to a desired direction.  (Photo above is the skeleton. Later,

the light-path other than side-view was  sealed to prevent the double image)

Photo left is the whole assembly of Camera, Macro lens and the Low-Angle Adapter

attached on front. (Though, the lens was reverse mounted on this set-up)

On the actual use, set-up was shown on the Photo right. The test subject = Hazelnut

was in focus and this test shot image is the right photo in the collaged photo before.

Unlike the top photo which was taken with Low-angle Adapter attached on front of lens

(Micro Nikkor 55mm f3.5) and the magnification was about x1/2,  this photo above is

x1.2 (with lens reversed) — though, when lens was reversed, to have a focus, it need

to move tripod all together (or got to do it hand-held) = sorry, this photo was not

very sharp 😀

[]

Small drawback of this adapter is, as it is using a mirror, the photo is the reversed image.

(Can easily be reversed again in Photoshop  🙂 )

The photo below is a normal shot without using Low-angle Adapter.

= You may noticed, the Moss’ pods are aiming left = this is the normal view, but in another

photo above, the pods are all aiming right.  Because, they are the mirror images, though, it

may not be any trouble in most of the case.  🙂

= For some occasion, this adapter might be useful for close-up. 

But, with a telephoto lens, (provided its filter size is smaller than 55mm) you can take

picture while aiming the camera 90 degree away, without let the people know, you

are taking their picture.  ( Though, don’t misuse it.  😀 )

[]

PS : To the people who want to make this kind of adapter,

—– To get a Frame of Polarizing filter would be rather difficult = instead,

better use a lens-cap which has push-tubs on both side.

Cut a window  38mm x 18mm  in the center of the cap and stick the mirror

from SLR (but only from manual-focus old camera — AF camera has

secondary mirror (more difficult to disassemble) and mirror itself has

half mirror in the center = not suit for this purpose) using Epoxy-pate would

be the easiest as you can shape it to hold the mirror in its position.

Cut a piece of cardboard paper to two of  28Mm x 18mm x 21mm  triangle and

fix it to both end of the window first and fix the mirror on its edge would be a

better approach. (mirror would be fixed not 45 degree but about 48 degree

= this would be better)

If you finger-printed on the mirror, use white-spirit or solvent (on tissue

paper) before Epoxy-pate hardens.

By the way, never attempt to peel off the mirror from its base-panel = mirror

would just break.

Have a good work and Good luck.

[]

Cyber Space / Twitter

It’s a funny situation, somebody an expert of IT made a practical joke and created

hundreds of my Twitter accounts (all under Yoshizen’s name but different account code and

pass-word which I don’t know hence I can’t access or Tweet back) and sent-out automatic

“Following you” click to thousands of Twitter user, thence thousand of Twitterers followed

back (me) = Hence, I’m receiving “The person is following you” automatic notice. Everything is

run automatic (programmed) = completely out of my hand and out of my concern. ( the person

seemed to have tested his “Net promotion program” me as a guinea-pig :-D)

[]

Even funnier is, it seems tens of Twitterer are sending direct message “ This person is saying

dreadful things about you” kind, expecting me to click back their link though, I’m a Zennist.

I don’t give a damn to those = If anybody really saying anything dreadful, let the person say.

And most likely no such things could ever happen, because very few people know who really I am

hence not a kind of dreadful real story could ever be created.

If a funny picture of me has been uploaded, let it be there = make others smile is good

things, but I don’t need to give a glance at all.  —– In fact, I made a setting of

my Email  [***  has sent you direct message]  is automatically goes into trash.

[]

This is the syber space / false environment = Everything is just a stream (in fact, compact packet)

of electronic pulses.   And how true its information is = Who knows.

And this is why, everybody just saying “How nice” and others are reply the same almost

automatically. = Scratch the back and others will scratch your back automatically = hence, making

up the number of followers, hit, so-called friends automatically high. = Nothing is serious.

[]

Among the animal, Mankind is only a creature having a false environment.

Thanks (goodness) to have huge memory bank in our (semi-artificially) enlarged brain, we can

accumulate huge past patterns. And with the algorithm we figure out to forecast future or other’s

response based on the information from the memory bank. = in other words, we are living in the

false environment based upon a speculation. = imaginary sphere.

Seeing the number of [followers] or so-called [friends], thousand of it may make the person feel

happy = congratulation.

Since we have the said [imaginary sphere] include the image of oneself, we are very very

self conscious, we are very conscious about what others are saying or seeing you.

Because of we have no confidence of the [imagined Self] —– whether it is true

or illusion = we need to know the proof from others.

This is almost an obsession between the Ego and the fear of failure.

(Though, it exclude Zennist = Zennist has no Emotional Attachment to the SELF,

not mention the self-conscious to pay attention what others say about “ME”

= Zennist doesn’t have imaginary sphere).

[]

With those reason I don’t have an account of Face*** something or Twitter (myself) in fact

any of so-called SNS. —– (though, I had to make Google+ account when I found I couldn’t send

Email with attachment any more, —– I couldn’t solve the problem with any change of setting

= I thought “may be Google is harassing me, because I don’t use real name, location etc”

= I needed to try please Google though, I’m not doing anything there since then. 😦 and 😀 )

[]

I wonder, how others is living with Twitter = is it useful or made you any happier 😀

(Isn’t your happy feeling = false ? —– Think deep)

—– Because of its ease of communication, Net is giving you a false impression that

you are in the circle though, in fact, in real term, it is making the people

more and more isolated. (and made a person immobile and obese  😀 ) 

—– think deeper.

[]

Ultimate understanding in Buddhism

There is an interesting quotation in Buddhism which said,

“ In his 40 years teachings, yet in fact,

Lord Buddha had taught nothing even a single word”

—– on the face, you may feel strange.   🙂  This is true but not in the historical context,

—– true in the ultimate Understanding in the Buddhism.

How true, in what context ?

[]This is the added end part of the last post [Emotion / Meditation]  = PS : Please do remember, there is yet another purpose in the Buddhism training, other than [Eliminates Thinking = Mushin] and [Cut off the Emotion = Selfless] . Also to sublimate the teachings = Imprint the Teachings into Subconscious by repeated practice and repeated reading or reciting, is the crucial process. —– here again invisible mind.

When the Teachings were imprinted into subconscious (sublimated), it controls the person unconsciously = no need to consciously remember it = Mushin again !

]= Buddhism teachings has to be sublimated (imprinted into the Subconsciousness),  hence, the person can act and live without conscious or with the memory of the teachings.

When Sword Master Musashi fought,  neither his hands or himself was thinking of Zen. = Mushin has no conscious of Buddhism or Zen.  (Same as when you ride a bicycle, or even just walking, you are not thinking how to kick or move your foot = everything would be done without your conscious ! )

= Therefore, if you act in accordance to the teachings, it is not the Buddhism.

= If you act Buddhism teachings without noticing that “ This is the Buddhism teachings” is the Buddhism.

Therefore, in ultimate Mushin, there is even no Buddhism exists there.

= If you have a conscious, that this is the Buddhism teachings and “ I’m following it”

in fact, you are not following, but just faking an orgasm.

Therefore, in the mind of accomplished Buddhist, there is no teachings of

Lord Buddha remains. (Exists in his subconsciousness but it is invisible and  unnoticeable, and this invisible mind is not regarded to be in the person’s mind but IS the very Dharma.)

= Dharma exists but not in the person’s mind or as his own SELF = (Self itself is not exists)

= Where the teachings has gone ?

= There was no teachings at all in the first place but the Dharma, therefore

Lord Buddha has taught nothing.

[] (It seemed, there were several Masters said this. —– it’s mean, historically only handful Masters ever reached to this level of understanding —– this was the reason why I wrote in an earliest post “Historically, only hand full people ever reached to the Enlightenment” though the Enlightenment itself doesn’t necessary needs understanding of the Buddhism, since the Darma covers everybody, even a non-Buddhist)

___/\___

[]

Emotion / Meditation

On the surface, you may think Emotion and Meditation are rather antagonizing idea hence

they wouldn’t come together though, it is because you are trying to keep your pretense.

In reality, our Mind is always in the mess, otherwise we didn’t need to talk

about the Mind and its trouble 2500 years, and the Buddhism could have

become redundant long ago.

[]

Meditation is a funny practice. In principle, it supposed to sit while you vacate

your mind.    Yet, in reality, all sorts of your bothering ideas, thoughts, images

are coming up  = The more disturbing,  the more keep coming back. 

[]

Long time ago, in the mountain shelter, I talked with a man said to be a Japanese classics

teacher —– while talking about a poet, Saigyo, who became a monk in his later life, it

touched Buddhism idea, then the teacher reviled, in fact he is a trained, ordained Zen monk.

( Mind you, on that time my knowledge of the Buddhism was rather poor = a son of priest

didn’t mean know the Buddhism well.  😀 )

So, I’m not sure whether I made right question to him and how serious the answer he gave me.

He could have just kidding a young man. 😀 —– Any how, he said

“ It is a lie to Meditate in Mushin.   I sit while visualizing the image of a

woman taking her cloths off, one by one and become naked.    Ha ha ha  :-D”

“ Didn’t you get aroused ?”

“ Oh no. If you do everyday every time, it just became a simple routine and

the same old image.  Nothing exciting”

“ How about to change character to top film star and imagine her naked ?”

“ Yah, I did though, it’s all same”

—– Looking back this conversation half century later, I think he was telling me his truth

and the truth in what the function of Meditation is.

Meditation wear-out your thoughts = To see disturbing thought  straight,

and analyzing again and again,  soon or later you will fed-up, and the idea

will loose its fresh impact to induce an Emotion. 

Without having an involvement of the Emotion, it become just another

opinion and a remote episode in the life ==> Detachment (Emotion put a tug

to the signal / information “this is Mine / My concern” = Turf of the Self )

When you get used with this process, again and again, you will become

rather not to have any useless thought = this is Mushin !

And start to see the things Objective = in the Detached Mind !

[]

Emotion is developed in our old part of the brain / Hippocampus.  This old part is common

with any animal and it is directly dealing with one’s survival.

Hence, not only one’s survival instincts or sexual desire, but also one’s welfare = comfort

for oneself and for the species general, are all part of this Emotion.

Desire, Greed, Envy, Fear, Like-Dislike, Want or Avoid, even a judgement

of Right or Wrong —– are all related to the own survival (and better survival

condition) of oneself  = (hence,  it is the Ego / Greed)

Those feelings are the basis of the conscious of the Self (and its turf).

More importantly, Emotion is always causing a seclusion of particular hormone.

(Such as a fear to a danger needs whole body to prepare for prolonged battle by

seclusion of Adrenalin.  Or whole process of sexual activity needs continuing higher

level of Testosterone.)

—– In comparison, higher logical thinking is done by the later addition of the larger

brain and its process is not necessary induce a seclusion of hormone or Emotion.

[]

So that, when you hear the call of the Wolf = its signal rises your Adrenaline and become

Emotionally alert.   But if it is the same “Wolf-call” again, you just get used and

start to ignore = your perception would no longer trigger the Emotion.

—– Logically, Wolf is still somewhere in the woods yet its logical possibility wouldn’t

trigger your Emotion, because you are not in imminent danger, still, a kind of strong belief

or persistent thought / obsession would trigger an Emotion.

( But they are a subject of mental, neurological disorder)

[]

Seeing those function of the brain,

you might be realized that what the Meditation is doing.

= When your brain keep receiving the same signal, threshold of the reception

rise higher = the same signal loose impact.  You become immune to the signal.

Those external incoming signal or internal thought would work alike.

When the brain (or a Mind set) starts to ignore the signal or thought, it no

longer trigger an emotional reaction = therefore loose the tag  of ” Mine” =

and it become detached from the Ego = your mind would be in PEACE.

And when you do the things without involving your Emotion =

“ Effectively you are in the SELFLESS state” as all of your Emotion which is

defining  “ This is mine / my interest” is no longer there.

—– Buddhism teachings are using those brain function and its tendency =

Mushin and the Selflessness to control our MIND.

( Without Emotion, Selfless, and in Mushin = Just get on the task / Life ! )

Hence we can have PEACE of MIND and the  SMOOTH  LIFE.

———

( Though, there was an interesting question ” How and why,  some people

who is seeing a lots of sexual images, the person become immune to a

sexual stimulant  (like a Gynecologist),  but in the other hand it would lead

some others become rapist ?”

—– Well, this is the matter of the Mind-set on the starting point,  which I’m

going to write about in later post.)

___/\___

[]

PS : Please do remember, there is yet another purpose in the Buddhism training, other

than [Eliminates Thinking = Mushin] and [Cut off the Emotion = Selfless] . Also

to sublimates the teaching = Imprint the Teachings into Subconscious by

repeated practice and repeated reading or reciting, is the crucial process. —– here

again invisible Mind.

When the Teachings were imprinted into subconscious (sublimated), it

controls the person unconsciously

= no need to consciously remember it = Mushin again !

[]

Park in September

When I took those pictures, I remembered  “Wait a moment, I’ve seen those flowers in full

bloom, and I’ve taken pictures — where those photos has gone ? (Then I found them and put

to past two posts )   What I realized was,  even if it’s only less than a month since I came here

last time though, what a difference mere 4 weeks has made.  Really, the Summer has gone.

May be because the Summer was rather wet, the Ginkgo tree seemed to have fewer nuts.

Literally the time fly.

[]

Canon 5D Mk-III / Pentax 15 mm F3.5

[]

Flowers in the Park — Cropped Macro (ish) Photos

Those photos were also in the file, taken in August though, long forgotten  😀

[]These day many compact cameras came into the market started to say that they got x20 super-Zoom / such as equivalent of 24~1000 mm —– m m m,  ? ? ?

Soon I realized, they are not optical Zoom to 1000 mm, but it was combined with Digital Zoom = in another word it’s a fraud. Thanks to the extremely advanced image sensor in the camera, the quality of the image is good enough for the most of the user even if it was in fact just a cropped, enlarged image —– most of the  consumers are happy even with Phone-camera !

So, why not = Camera manufacturer has gone over the blue line.

So,   the center part of this photo was cropped and enlarged to the next photo.

(Click the photo to enlarge —– not too bad isn’t it  🙂 )

As a matter of fact, those  originally near 10Meg bit file photos are reduced here to mere 500k bit or so, in order to upload.   Nobody ever complained, neither me 😀

Among the photographer who bought Nikon D810E,  who did ever needed to enlarge their photo to more than A2 size ? — Vast majority of the so-called photographer  who is showing their photos in the net,  is in fact surviving with small job for brochure or web-site photo or occasional wedding photo,  if there were job at all.

( I was lucky to survive,  when I came here,  there wasn’t a bilingual photographer who can negotiate and coordinate with English company —– hence,  I nearly monopolized Japanese commercial and editorial business here )

Looks like just ordinary close up though,  this is an cropped enlarged image.

Those cropped Macroish photos are no way near to the quality of proper Macro lens shot though,  if a photo like this was shown in Wiki,  you may not noticed or complained. —– this is a reason why I’m using Fisheye lens a lot such as in a party occasion. = in other words,  use a Zoom lens such as 24~70,  24~100 wouldn’t be necessary = good enough photo could be produced from good primary 24 mm lens !

( So, we don’t need to spend hefty money or carrying heavy lens  😀 )  ( Better not be obsessed with useless QUALITY ! = be relaxed.  take Middle way  😀  😀 )

[]

Snap shots in the Park (a Month ago)

Among the photo-file, I found those photos — Yah yah, I did those but been forgotten.

Just to have a walk,  I carry my camera and just click for no purpose,  hence I forget.

May be I’ve been doing too many project,  but I’m dealing them only one at the time

—– unless it is on front of me,  I’m not necessary remember another matter.

( May be this is the Zen though,  others might say ” Oh, you are just getting old”  😀 )

As it was the Independence Day of Jamaica,  there was a local event for the people.

Lots of cyclists.   I found this family has mounted 5 bicycles on the car !

Yes it was yet another peaceful day.  Nothing to write about.  

Hence it has been forgotten — still,  photos was in a memory card   😀

[]

 

Perfection

It is an interesting situation.

When we see a flower or intricate small insect we saw it is perfect.

Even though we human being is the one the most evolved and the most sophisticated creature

in this planet, still, the only one who feel “ I’m not perfect” (may be I should exclude you

in Political Correctness 😀 ) —– in general, if anyone say I’m perfect, others would boo you

and if you are believing yourself is perfect, you are likely a loner and known to be a nut. 😀

—– How come.   What went wrong ?

[]

In Buddhist’s term, especially from the words of Master Dogen, we should know that we

were here as a part of Dharma hence we were perfected as we are, and have to learn

[ As-it-is-ness]= to become perfect as who you are.

This is exactly what Master Kogetsu told me in the Eihei-ji temple. “ You are just a failure to

be a photographer. Couldn’t settle and became as a perfect photographer” then I replied him,

“ What’s wrong with a photographer become a seeker ? Have look,

Lord Buddha forsaken to be a Prince and joined seeker bikku, didn’t he ?” —–

Master Kogetsu was incensed with this “ How outrageous, to use a comparison to

Lord Buddha”

( Incidentally, Master Dogen was not born to be a priest. He was a sun of noble, chief minister

serving to the Emperor = wealthy enough go abroad to study 😀 )

[]

But, before being as a photographer, I’m a human = Even perfect Samurai is, yet a human in the

same time —– is it a contradiction ?  I don’t think so.   This is, what a man’s situation is.

On the time of Master Dogen, it was a feudal society = born to be a farmer, the person IS a

farmer, nobody else = it was not a job or profession but a fixed cast.

Today though, to be a photographer is a mere chosen job. It can be changed just like a jacket.

And a job wouldn’t define who you are. To take Master Dogen’s words in the context of the

moment, it would make sense. = On the moment when a photographer is shooting with his

camera in his hand = he got to be perfect as a photographer. (yet in the night, he could be a

boring husband) —– still, [this is a man living as him, perfect “ as-he-is-ness” ]

[]

When we grow up, kids are seeing  Heros, Superman or Super Robot (Gandum ?) etc, and as

we got huge brain and memory bank, we build up a kind of ideal figure and become aware

of should be standard. —- and always there is a person who can do it better — we realize

how we are not perfect.   Whether an awareness of this imperfection drives us to make it

perfect or by something another urge = it is an interesting argument, still strangely, we give

an effort to make it better or perfect. === isn’t this an obsession ?

Or, the image of Superman or who ever the ideal perfection —– isn’t it a delusion ?

[]

—– blessing to your ears is, it’s good to give an effort to make it perfect though, we never

achieve perfection as we are never be perfect.

I’ve met quite few Masters who can produce phenomenal perfection in his crafts etc.

—– something remarkable is, non of them said it is perfect, hence he is still trying

to achieve its perfection = it is an on-going project.

Being as an imperfect existence as it is, is what Buddhist calls [as-it-is-ness] —– and this is

the Enlightenment and that is why all the Masters found it [It’s a dog shit].

So, be relax, you may not too far from the enlightenment. 😀

( It’s mean, believing and cherishing something, such as spiritual perfection

might be in vain = it might be an illusion or delusion, even worse, could be a

fraud in your text book) 😀

___/\___

[]